Stir-Fried Chicken and Green Chilies

Qing Jiao Chao Jiding (青椒炒鸡丁)

Delicious bits of Chicken are paired with spicy Green Chilies as the two are quickly stir-fried in a fragrant ginger-garlic infused oil with this simple home style dish.

While this dish has tons of great flavor from Green Chilies, it's not overwhelmingly spicy. The type of Green Chili used is called Er Jing Tiao (二荆条) in Chinese. It packs a bit of heat but also adds plenty of delicious chili pepper flavor. While readily available in China, it might be a bit difficult to source in other countries. Not to worry though, because this recipe is quite flexible. Nearly any Green Chili or Pepper could be used to make Stir-Fried Chicken and Green Chilies.

This might seem odd, but there is no marinade in the following recipe. Nevertheless, the Chicken bits are quite tender and flavorful. This is due to the cooking method. Chicken Bits (鸡丁) are quite tiny so it’s easy for the robust flavors from the Garlic, Ginger, and Green Chilies to permeate every bite. And, by controlling and gradually decreasing the heat while stir-frying, the little bits of Chicken remain tender and won’t dry out.

Another reason this recipe has no marinade is to acquire a light crispy texture on the surface of every Chicken Bit. The goal is to evaporate all moisture from the surface of these Bits as soon as they’re added to the oil. If the Chicken Bits were wet from a marinade, the oil could become soupy. So, instead of frying, the soupy oil would boil the Chicken Bits making them rubbery.

One way to guarantee the oil won't become soupy or cloudy is to simply flash-fry the Chicken Bits in plenty of super-hot oil. You can actually deep-fry them, drain the oil from the wok, and then stir-fry the Chicken as per usual. This method is similar to making Kung Pao Chicken (宫保鸡丁), and you can even use the marinade from my Kung Pao Chicken recipe if making this dish in that manner. Deep-frying the Chicken first will ensure the Chicken is crispy, prevent the oil from becoming soupy, and allow you to use slightly less oil when stir-frying.

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 5 min

Total Time: 20 min

Serving: 2 - 4 people

Ingredients

2 1/2 boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs (OR 2 whole Chicken Legs de-boned; skin optional. OR 2 large Chicken Breasts)

5 long Green Chilies

Aromatics
6 – 10 fresh Red Chilies
4 cloves of Garlic
1 4-inch block of Ginger

Garnish
2 green stalks of Small Scallion (小葱)

Peanut Oil
1 tsp. Salt

Sauces
1/2 tsp. Dark Soy Sauce
1/2 Tbsp. Oyster Sauce
1/2 tsp. Light Soy Sauce

Seasonings
1 tsp. White Sugar
1/2 tsp. Chicken Bouillon Powder
1/4 tsp. Salt (Optional)
1/4 tsp. White Pepper

Directions

1.) Wash the Chicken Thighs thoroughly and pat them dry with paper towels. Cut the Chicken into 1/2-inch strips and then cut these strips into small 1/2-inch cubes. Place these cubes in a bowl.

(I've found the best size is roughly the same size as standard six-sided dice. This is a Chicken Bits 鸡丁 recipe and not one for Chicken Bites 鸡块. The largest size should be roughly that of your thumb tip and the smallest should be that of your pinkie tip).

2.) Cut the Green Chilies into 1/2-inch pieces and set them aside in another bowl.

3.) Cut the Red Chilies into 1/2- inch pieces. Peel and mince the Garlic and Ginger. Place all of these together in a bowl for Aromatics.

4.) Cut the Scallion into 1-inch-long pieces and place them in a small bowl.

5.) Heat seasoned wok on high heat and add about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Peanut Oil. Once smoking-hot, add a teaspoon of Salt followed immediately by the Chicken Bits. Stir-fry the Chicken, stirring quickly and constantly, until all water has evaporated from the surface of the Chicken.

6.) Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the bowl of Aromatics, stir-frying just a few seconds until fragrant.

7.) Drop the heat to medium, add the Dark Soy Sauce around the sides of the wok, and toss to mix it thoroughly with the Chicken. Then, with the Chicken golden, add the remaining Sauces (Oyster Sauce and Light Soy Sauce), mixing them thoroughly with the Chicken.

8.) Quickly add the Seasonings (Sugar, Chicken Bouillon, Salt, and White Pepper) along with the Green Chilies and stir-fry everything just a few seconds until combined.

9.) Increase the heat to high, add the Scallion, and stir-fry everything for just a few more seconds until bursting with aromatic flavor. Finally, plate the Stir-Fried Chicken with Green Chilies and serve immediately with bowls of white rice.

 

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